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MSN Project Handbook
2015-2017
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Weber State University
Master of Science in Nursing Program
Master’s Project Handbook
MSN Project Handbook
2015-2017
Page 2 of 24
Table of Contents
Introduction to the Master’s Project.................................................................................................................... 5
Master’s Project Development Process ................................................................................................................. 6
2nd Semester: MSN6800 - I (1 cr) ............................................................................................................................... 6
3rd Semester: MSN6800 – II (1 cr) ............................................................................................................................. 6
4th Semester: MSN6800 – III (2 cr)............................................................................................................................. 7
Registration for Master’s Project Hours ................................................................................................................. 7
Selection and Approval of Master’s Project Committee ..................................................................................... 8
Changes to Master’s Project Committee .................................................................................................................. 8
The Role of the Master’s Project Committee Chair ................................................................................................... 8
The Role of the Master’s Project Coordinator ......................................................................................................... 10
Development of Master’s Project Proposal .......................................................................................................... 11
Selecting a Master’s Project Topic .......................................................................................................................... 11
Developing a Master’s Project Proposal ................................................................................................................. 11
Approval of Master’s Project Proposal ................................................................................................................... 11
Developing a Timeline for Master’s Project Completion ......................................................................................... 12
Master’s Project Final Report............................................................................................................................ 13
Copyright Information............................................................................................................................................. 13
Major Sections of the MSN Project Report ............................................................................................................. 14
Formatting Requirements for Master’s Project Report ........................................................................................... 14
Printing Requirements for Master’s Project Report ................................................................................................ 15
Additional Tips for Writing the Master’s Project Report ......................................................................................... 15
APPENDIX - Support Documents for Master’s Project Completion ....................................................................... 17
Master’s Project Committee Approval & Proposal Approval Form ......................................................................... 18
Master’s Project Committee Change Approval Form .............................................................................................. 19
Master’s Project Final Approval Form ..................................................................................................................... 20
Sample Title page .................................................................................................................................................... 21
Sample Copyright Page ........................................................................................................................................... 22
Sample Table of Contents (Individual MSN Project TOC will vary) .......................................................................... 23
Sample List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................. 24
Sample List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................... 24
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Sample Acknowledgement ...................................................................................................................................... 24
MSN Project Handbook
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Note: The information, including formatting instructions, contained in this Master’s
Project Handbook, supersedes any instructions given in previous version of this
Handbook.
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Introduction to the Master’s Project The master’s project is a graduation requirement for completion of the Weber State University
(WSU) Master’s of Science Nursing (MSN) Program. It represents the culminating activity that
integrates the knowledge and skills acquired during the master’s degree program of study. The
project provides evidence that the student has engaged in scholarly activities designed to enhance
the practice of nursing from the vantage of either the nurse administrator or the nurse educator.
An additional objective of the master’s project is to afford faculty the opportunity to provide
direct mentoring, professional socialization, and assessment related to the student’s mastery of
graduate-level knowledge and skills. The completed master’s project and culminating report is a
visible and permanent record of the quality of work that a graduate student has accomplished in
the WSU School of Nursing, Master’s of Science Nursing Program.
The master’s project topic should be relevant to the domain of knowledge in the area of
concentration that the student has chosen. The Master project is a thorough study and
theoretically grounded discussion of a specific topic that results in a scholarly written synthesis
of the literature and the integration of the information into a program application or product that
addresses the student-identified need or issue. For the nurse administrator student, the project
application/product may be a well-designed and feasible nursing administrative business plan or
a new staffing model; for the nurse educator student, this may be a comprehensive curriculum for
an evidence-based teaching module or a high-fidelity clinical-simulation case study. The
processes related to the development of the master’s project include:
Problem identification
Advanced level inquiry related to a specific area of interest
Information retrieval and utilization
Critical analysis and decision making skills
Project planning and management skills
Project implementation and planned-change process
Scholarly creativity
Once the research and other literature for the master’s project topic are studied, the student will
synthesize the knowledge gathered into a project application/product. Following the
development of the project application/product, the student will create a culminating project
report. This report will provides a theoretical basis supporting the project topic, a review of the
literature, application of this material to the student’s chosen concentration, a discussion of the
project as a whole, its limitations, and additional uses of the project application/product. In
addition, as an appendix to the project report, a facsimile of the project application/product will
be included. The required format for the master’s project report is that presented in the
American Psychological Association’s (APA) Manual, (6th ed.). The Master’s Project is
substantially more than a term paper for a 6000-level course. Depending on the topic and the
project application/product, it can range from 25 pages to 75 pages, exclusive of tables, figures,
and the list of references.
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The purpose of this handbook is to provide general guidelines for the completion of the master’s
project. The procedures described in this document will assist graduate students to complete a
master's project that meets the requirements of the WSU MSN Program.
(Note: All MSN Program requirements, which include the Master’s project, must be completed
within 3-years following admission to the program. MSN Program coursework/credits older
than six academic years will not apply toward graduation.)
Master’s Project Development Process The master’s project is a thorough study of a specific topic that results in a written synthesis of
the literature and related evidence and the integration of the information into an application or
product that addresses the identified issue or need. It is to be completed on an individual basis
with the guidance of the Master’s Project Committee Chair and committee member. The Chair
of the Project Committee must be a Weber State University nursing faculty member and possess
a minimum of a master’s of science degree in nursing. Students may obtain assistance in
selecting a project committee chair from their MSN faculty advisor, MSN6800 instructor, or the
MSN Program Director.
It is important that the student carefully plan and execute the sequenced activities related to the
development and completion of the master’s project. The 4-credit MSN6800 Master’s Project
Development and Implementation course is designed to support completion of the master’s
project. This course is divided into three separate components and completed during the 2nd, 3rd,
and 4th semesters of the MSN Program, as follows:
2nd Semester: MSN6800 - I (1 cr) Upon completion of this component, the student will be able to:
1. Identify a Master’s project topic appropriate to either the Nurse Educator or Nurse
Administrator Track
2. Contact MSN Project Committee Chair to discuss and refine project topic
3. Develop a Master’s project proposal
4. Complete Master’s Project Committee and Proposal Approval Form
5. Apply knowledge and skills gained in MSN6100 to locate and appraise evidence
relative to the master’s project
6. Create the Chapter I: Introduction to Master’s Project
7. Create the Chapter II: Literature Review (limited to the state-of-science related to
project topic, relevance of project topic, and theoretical framework for the project
application/product)
3rd Semester: MSN6800 – II (1 cr) Upon completion of this component, the student will be able to:
1. Complete the Chapter II: Literature Review (expand to include evidence that
supports selected project application/product design, implementation processes,
and change strategies)
2. Create master’s project report’s Chapter III: Development of Master’s Project
Application/Product
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3. Describe the setting in which the project application/product is intended to be
used
4. Describe the intended audience or future users of the project application/product
5. Describe the process through which the project was designed
6. Begin development of the project application/product
7. Describe the proposed change strategy and implementation process for the project
application/product
8. Describe the proposed means by which the effectiveness of the project
application/product will be evaluated
4th Semester: MSN6800 – III (2 cr) Upon completion of this component, the student will be able to:
1. Finalize development of the project application/product
2. Create the Chapter IV: Summary of Master’s Project
3. Create comprehensive reference list
4. Create appendices, including a copy of the master’s project application/product
5. Combine Chapters I, II, III, IV, References, and Appendices into a cohesive
Master’s Project Report
(Note: Refer to the individual MSN6800-I, II, & III component syllabi and assignments
for detailed instructions for completion of the master’s project expectations)
Registration for Master’s Project Hours Program graduation requirements include the completion of a minimum of four credit
hours of MSN 6800 - Master’s Project Development and Implementation.
Prerequisites to MSN6800 Master’s Project Development and Implementation
registration include MSN6100, MSN6120, and MSN6141.
(All MSN Program requirements must be completed within three academic years of
admission to the program. MSN Program coursework older than six academic years will
not apply toward MSN Program graduation.)
Students must register for a minimum of one credit of MSN 6800 Master’s project
Development and Implementation during the 2nd and 3rd semesters of the MSN
Program.
Student must register for a minimum of two credits of MSN 6800 Master’s project
Development and Implementation during the final semester of the MSN Program.
A maximum of four credits of MSN 6800 will be applied toward graduation
requirements.
If the student has completed all MSN coursework, but has not yet completed the Master’s
project graduation requirement, to remain in the MSN Program the following conditions
apply:
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o The student must register and pay for a minimum of one credit of
MSN 6850 Project Development and Implementation Extension
Course for each consecutive academic semester until the student has
fulfilled all requirements associated with the Master’s project
requirements.
Selection and Approval of Master’s Project Committee The master’s project is completed under the direction of a Master’s Project Committee. The
project committee is comprised of a committee chairperson and one committee member (MSN
Project Coordinator). The project committee chair must have sufficient expertise in the subject
area of the student's project topic and must have attained at minimum of a Master’s of Science
degree in nursing. Adjunct WSU nursing faculty members are eligible to serve on the Master’s
project Committee.
Though optional, the student may contract a third member of the committee who possesses a
specific expertise in the topic of the master’s project. This individual may be external to the
WSU School of Nursing, but must hold a minimum of a master’s degree.
Changes to Master’s Project Committee
In some cases, it may be necessary for a student to change the membership of his or her
project committee. To accomplish a change of the Master’s Project Committee, the
student will complete a new Approval of Project Committee Form (Appendix). This
form will be submitted to the Director of the MSN Program for review and signature.
The most recently completed form will be the official committee membership record.
Generally, changing the Project Committee memberships will likely delay the timeline
for completion of the project. Subsequently, a student should carefully weigh the
advantages and disadvantages of making this change.
The Role of the Master’s Project Committee Chair Note: The student will work closely with the chairperson of his or her Master’s Project
Committee. Therefore, the student is encouraged to select a Project Committee Chair whose
work style and personality is compatible with that of the student.
Assists the student to complete a scholarly project that reflects a valuable contribution to
the nursing profession.
Consults with the student throughout the development of the master’s project
application/product, and the culminating project report.
Reviews sequential document drafts throughout project application/product development
and creation of the culminating project report; providing recommendations for
improvement/revision.
Provides approval of final master’s project report and project application/product;
providing recommendations for improvement / revision.
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Semester Role of Master’s Project Committee Chair
(Note: Individual committee member expectations may vary and should be discussed and
verified with each member of the master’s project committee)
1st Not applicable
2nd
Assist student in developing master’s project topic and proposal
Provides final approval of master’s project proposal
Signs Master’s Project Committee & Proposal Approval Form
Meets with student and committee member to discuss project expectations,
timeline, etc.
Provides final approval of student’s developmental timeline for project
application/product completion
Reviews selected evidence for depth, breadth, and appropriateness in support of
master’s project. Provides suggestions and constructive feedback to student, as
applicable
Reads and evaluates master’s project Chapter I: Introduction. Provides
constructive feedback relative to revisions / improvement, as applicable
Provides final approval of content and quality of Chapter I: Introduction
Returns to student all drafts within 2-weeks of student submission of document
Reads and evaluates master’s project Chapter II: Literature Review (topic
relevance & theoretical framework) for content and quality of information.
Provides constructive feedback relative to revisions / improvement, as applicable
Provides final approval of content and quality of Chapter II: Literature Review
Returns to student all drafts within 2-weeks of student submission of document
Complete and submit grading rubric to MSN 6800 instructor in assignment of letter
grade for MSN6800-I (1 cr)
3rd
Reads and evaluates master’s project Chapter III for content & quality of
information. Provides constructive feedback to student, as applicable
Provides final approval of content and quality of Chapter III for master’s Project
Returns to student all drafts within 2-weeks of student submission of document
Reviews and evaluates master’s project application/product drafts for content &
quality of information. Provides constructive feedback to student, as applicable
Returns all drafts within 2-weeks of student submission of document
Complete and submit grading rubric to MSN 6800 instructor in assignment of letter
grade for MSN6800-II (1 cr)
4th
Provides continued support, as needed, to student in the development of master’s
project application/product
Evaluates final master’s project application/product and provides student
constructive feedback
Returns all drafts within 2-weeks of student submission of document
Provides final approval of content and quality of Chapter IV: Summary, Reference
page, and Appendix
Returns all drafts within 2-weeks of student submission of document and provides
formative feedback
Provides final approval of master’s project report
Signs Master’s Project Final Approval form
Complete and submit grading rubric to MSN 6800 instructor in assignment of letter
grade for MSN6800-III (2 cr)
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The Role of the Master’s Project Coordinator
Available for consultation with the committee chair and student throughout the
development of the master’s project.
Working with project committee chair, reviews sequential project drafts throughout
creation of project application/product, and the culminating project report; providing
recommendations for improvement/revision.
Semester Master’s Project Coordinator Role
(Note: Individual committee member expectations may vary and should be discussed and
verified with each member of the master’s project committee)
1st Not Applicable
2nd
Assist student in developing master’s project proposal
Reviews master’s project proposal and provides initial constructive feedback to
student (content & format)
Meets with student and master’s project committee chair to discuss project
expectations, timeline, etc.
Signs master’s project committee and proposal approval form
Supports student progress relative to search for research & non-research evidence,
reviews appraisal documentation
Supports student progress relative to development of master’s project Chapter I:
Introduction
Supports student progress relative to development of master’s project Chapter II:
Literature Review
In conference with master’s project committee chair, assigns letter grade for
MSN6800-I (1 cr)
3rd
Supports student progress relative to master’s project Chapter III for Master’s
project
Supports student progress relative to the development of master’s project
application/product In conference with master’s project committee chair, assigns letter grade for
MSN6800-II (1 cr)
4th
Supports student progress relative to Chapter IV: Summary, Reference page, and
Appendix for APA organization and formatting
Supports student progress relative to combined Chapters I – IV, references and
appendix into a single document (Master’s Project Report)
Reviews final draft of master’s project report and application/product
Signs Master’s Project Final Approval form
In conference with master’s project committee chair, recommends letter grade for
MSN6800-III (2 cr)
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Development of Master’s Project Proposal The development of a master’s project involves several steps. The first is the selection of an
appropriate topic, issue, or problem within a student’s selected graduate program of study. Once
an appropriate topic has been selected, the student will develop a formal proposal and a
developmental timeline. The following will provide guidance in accomplishing these tasks.
(Note: The student is encouraged to select a Master’s project topic while completing the first
semester course work in MSN6100.)
Selecting a Master’s Project Topic Choose an area in which you have a strong and sustained interest, passion, personal investment,
or commitment. When the outcome is important to you, it is easier to remain motivated and
persevere during the difficult phases of the project development. Take the earliest opportunity to
do some reading in your area of interest and explore topics and current trends in the field.
Choosing a topic, and then narrowing it to a manageable project, are often difficult tasks. It is
important that you work closely with your project committee chair on this component of the
process.
There are several factors to consider when selecting a topic. First, is the project realistic for the
allotted timeframe? Will a project on this topic advance your professional development and/or
career goals? Do you have access to the necessary resources? Finally, will this topic fulfill the
purposes of the master’s project requirement; such as, allow you to demonstrate your ability to
develop an application/product, as well as make a contribution to the professional area of your
interest?
Developing a Master’s Project Proposal The written proposal is a defined plan for the master’s project. Proposals should contain an
introduction to the problem, a statement of the problem and its significance, the aims of the
project application/product, and a description of the methods that the student will use to examine
the problem and carry out the project. The length of proposals may vary, and some may only
require a couple of pages, depending on the project. The student may find it necessary to rework
the proposal several times to achieve clarity, brevity, and completeness. The student will need
the approval of the master’s project committee to proceed with the project development. The
proposal document format should reflect APA (6th ed.) guidelines, including a title page, body,
and reference page.
Approval of Master’s Project Proposal The master’s project proposal is ultimately approved by the master’s project committee chair.
Upon approval of the committee chair, the student will obtain the chair’s signature on the
Master’s Project Committee and Project Proposal Approval Form (Appendix); the student will
obtain the approval signature of the other member(s) of the committee.
After all members of the master’s project committee have approved the project proposal, the
student will return the Master's Project Committee and Proposal Approval Form to the MSN
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Project Coordinator who will submit to the Director of the MSN program for final review and
approval.
One copy of the completed Master's Project Committee and Proposal Approval Form will be
returned to the student, a copy will be distributed to each member of the project committee, and
the original will be placed in the graduate student's file. The student must have a completed and
signed Master’s Project Proposal Approval Form on file in the MSN office prior to beginning
further work on the project.
Developing a Timeline for Master’s Project Completion The following is a suggested timeline for the development, execution, and completion of the
master’s project. The developmental timeline includes:
Selection of a topic
Development and approval of a project proposal
Creation of the project introduction, literature review, development of the project
application/product, and strategies for implementation and evaluation of the project
application/product
Creation of the culminating project report that discusses the project as a whole, including
its limitations and additional uses within the student’s area of interest.
Recommended MSN Project Development Timeline
Semester Timeline Checklist Due Date
1st
Explore an area in which the student has a strong and sustained interest,
passion, personal investment, or commitment
Perform literature review for research and non-research related
evidence relative to area of interest (Examine the current state of the
problem / issue)
2nd
Finalize master’s project topic
Select Master’s Project Committee Chair and Committee member
Create master’s project proposal and obtain approval signatures from
committee members (Master’s Project Committee & Proposal Approval
Form)
Submit completed and signed approval form to MSN Program Director
Perform search for research & non-research evidence and submit list of
sources to master’s project committee
Create Chapter I: Introduction to MSN Project
Submit initial and subsequent drafts of Chapter I for committee review
and approval
Create Chapter II: Literature Review
Submit initial and subsequent drafts of Chapter II for committee review
and approval
3rd
Create Chapter III: Development of Project Application / Product
Submit initial and subsequent drafts of Chapter III for committee
review and approval
Begin development of master’s project application/product
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Semester Timeline Checklist Due Date
Submit initial and subsequent drafts of Chapter III for committee
review and approval
4th
Submit completed master’s project application/product to master’s
project committee chair and committee member(s) for review and
approval
Create Chapter IV: Summary
Combine Chapters I, II, III, & IV and submit completed master’s
project report to master’s project committee chair and committee
member(s) for final review
Upon receiving final approval of master’s project committee, obtain
committee
members’ signature on Final Approval of Master’s Project Form,
including the final approval signature of the MSN Program Director
Print three full copies of MSN Project document and distribute to the
following: MSN Project Committee Chair, and Committee Member(s),
and MSN Program Director for inclusion in student file
Master’s Project Final Report The student, working with the Master’s Project Committee, will create the master’s project
application/project and author the Master’s Project Final Report. The MSN Project Report is to
be formatted using APA Manual (6th ed.) guidelines. You should use level headings to organize
the report, labeling the main sections (Refer to Major Sections of the MSN Project Report).
Copyright Information As per the United States Copyright Act of 1976, students automatically hold the copyright to
their work. It is illegal for anyone to reproduce any part of the work without the author’s
permission. So that inherent copyright is explicitly stated, include a copyright notice within the
project document, immediately following the title page. A sample is provided in the Appendix.
Permissions
If the project report includes large sections of other copyrighted works (including, but not limited
to, tables, graphs, lists, photos), written permission from the publisher or author must be
submitted with the document. Indicate in the document that the material is “Use with
Permission”. Materials included that are consistent with “fair use”, such as short or standard
block quotations, do not need this written permission.
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Major Sections of the MSN Project Report The following outline provides the order in which the major component of your MSN Project
report is to be organized. A detailed discussion of what is included in each component is
provided in the MSN6800 course syllabi and assignment descriptions. Please refer to the
MSN6800-I, -II, and -III course materials.
Title Page (see Appendix for format)
Signed Final MSN Project Approval Form (see Appendix for form)
Copyright Page (see Appendix for format)
Abstract
Table of Contents (see Appendix for sample)
List of Tables or Forms – if used (see Appendix for sample)
List of Figures – if used (see Appendix for sample)
Acknowledgement (optional – see Appendix for sample)
Body of the MSN Project Report
Chapter I: Introduction
Chapter II: Literature Review
Chapter III: Development of Project Application / Product
Chapter IV: Summary
References
Appendices (Include important material used in the project such as a copy of the project
application/product, copies of proposed evaluation materials, and any other relevant
information to the project)
Formatting Requirements for Master’s Project Report
Document formatting must comply with the APA (6th ed.) *. This includes recommended fonts,
margins, spacing, pagination, title page, running head, and abstract, chapters and APA level
headings. The APA Manual does not provide a guideline for a Table of Content.
Following are formatting guidelines for the Table of Contents (TOC):
o Title is bold, upper and lower case (APA heading Level 1)
o Text is full justified (even on both left and right sides)
o Double-space between chapter titles, single space between sections within
chapters
o Indents, as needed, are 5-spaces.
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Pagination Exceptions: Refer to following list for proper numbering protocol. Page
numbers are printed bottom center of the pages:
o Title Page (no page number)
o Signed Final MSN Project Approval Form (no page number)
o Copyright Page (no page number)
o Abstract (Roman numeral “i”)
o Table of Contents (begin with Roman numeral “ii”)
o List of Tables or Forms – if used (use Roman numeral)
o List of Figures – if used (use Roman numeral)
o Acknowledgement (use Roman numeral)
(Page numbering on the remaining sections of the project report begins with Arabic
numerals (1, 2, 3, 4…), and page numbers are printed in the upper right-hand corner
aligned with the running head.)
*Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication
manual of the American psychological association (6th ed.). Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association.
Printing Requirements for Master’s Project Report The manuscript must be printed using the same font throughout the document. For
consistency, readability, and professional appearance, students are required to use Times
New Rome 12 font, black ink color (Exception: Appendices - Project application/product
requires colored ink).
Any materials in the appendices that do not meet the 1-inch margin required on all sides
must be reduced on a photocopy so that 1-inch empty space appears on all sides.
The manuscript must be printed on white, 8” x 11.5”, 20 Lb. paper (Exception:
Appendices - Project application/product requires colored or varied paper type).
The manuscript must be assembled in the prescribed order. A minimum of three full
copies must be printed and bound with a protective cover on both the front and the back
of the document. These copies are to be distributed to the master’s project committee
chairperson, committee member, and the MSN Program Director for inclusion in your
permanent student record.
Additional Tips for Writing the Master’s Project Report
Repetition within the report: There are places within the project report in which the
student will revisit information from a previous section or chapter. This is expected and
even advised. However, it is important to avoid “lifting” entire sentences or paragraphs
from the previous text. As with paraphrasing the work of another author, the student
must paraphrase his or her own work as well!
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Outline the report before beginning to write. If one has not previously used an outline to
organize a scholarly paper, now is the time to begin. Outlining is extremely useful in
organizing the report and helping the author focus on what to write next.
Ongoing development of project topic: Once the master’s project topic has been selected,
whenever possible, use that topic for class assignments. In this way, the student can build
his or her reference file and explore related literature.
The writing style needs to be:
o Written in the third person
o Clear and concise (yet often redundant)
o Non-biased
o Straight forward (non-creative)
o Adequately and appropriately cited
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APPENDIX - Support Documents for Master’s Project Completion
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Dumke College of Health Professions
School of Nursing
Master’s Project Committee Approval & Proposal Approval Form Student must receive a signed copy of this Master’s Project approval form before beginning work on his or her
project. This form also serves as an agreement by faculty to serve on the student’s Master’s Project committee.
Committee members’ signatures indicate agreement to guide the student’s experience with regard to the design,
development and reporting of the Master’s Project and Summary Report.
The area of project focus is: Nursing Administration Nursing Education
Topic of Project: ____________________________________ ___
Purpose of Project: ____________________ ___________________
Target date for completion of Project:_______________________________________
Student Name: _____________________________ Signature: ______________________
Date of Submission: _________________________
The MSN Project committee is composed of two Weber State University (WSU) School of Nursing faculty
members. These include the Committee Chair and one Committee Member. The student has the option of
contracting with a third Committee Member either internal or external to the WSU School of Nursing. All members
of the committee must have sufficient expertise in the subject area of the student’s project and must hold a
minimum of a master’s degree.
______________________________________________________________
Committee Chair Title/Degree Signature
_____________________ ____________________ ______________________
MSN Project Coordinator Title/Degree Signature
____________________ ____________________ _______________________
Committee Member (Optional) Title/Degree Signature
Approved: ____________________________________ __________________________
Director, MSN Program Date
Once approved, one copy of this form will be sent to the student and each member of the committee If changes to the committee
membership are made, a new Master’s Project Approval & Committee Approval Form must be completed reflecting the changes.
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Weber State University
Dumke College of Health Professions
School of Nursing
Master’s Project Committee Change Approval Form The purpose of this form is to document potential committee members’ agreement to serve on the Master’s Project
Committee. Signature indicates agreement to guide the student’s experience with regard to the design, conduct,
evaluation, and reporting of the Master’s Project.
The area of project focus is: Nursing Administration Nursing Education
Topic of Project: ____________________________________ ___
Purpose of Project: ____________________ ___________________
Target date for completion of Project:_______________________________________
Student Name: _____________________________ Signature: ______________________
Date of Submission: _________________________
Once approved, one copy of this form will be sent to the student and each committee member, and one copy will be
placed in the student’s file. If any changes need to be made, a new form must be completed.
Please state the reason for the committee revision:
________________________ _____________________ _________________________
Committee Chair (Name) Title/Degree Signature
_____________________ ___________________ ______________________
MSN Project Coordinator (Name) Title/Degree Signature
_____________________ ___________________ ______________________
Committee Member (Name) Title/Degree Signature
(Optional)
Approved: _____________________________________ _________________
Director of the MSN Program Signature Date
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Dumke College of Health Professions
School of Nursing
Master’s Project Final Approval Form
This acknowledges that ________________________________________ has successfully
completed a MSN Project titled:
This master’s project, developed and written under the direction of the candidate’s master’s project
advisory committee, has been accepted and approved by the faculty of the Weber State University
School of Nursing, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Nursing with
a concentration in:
Nursing Administration Nursing Education
_____________________ ____________________ ______________________
Committee Chair Title/Degree Signature
_____________________ ____________________ ______________________
Committee Member Title/Degree Signature
_____________________ ____________________ ______________________
Committee Member Title/Degree Signature (Optional)
Approved: ____________________________________ __________________________
Director, MSN Program Date
MSN Project Handbook
2015-2017
Page 21 of 24
Sample Title page
THE TITLE OF THE MASTER’S PROJECT IS INSERTED
IN THE TOP PORTION OF THE TITLE PAGE
(Double-spaced, 80 characters max., including spaces and punctuation. All letters capitalized,
no bold. Do not include APA Running-head on this title page)
A Master’s Project
Presented to
The Faculty of the Weber State University
School of Nursing
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Masters of Science
By
Student Name
Semester / Year
(No page number should appear at the bottom of this page)
MSN Project Handbook
2015-2017
Page 22 of 24
Sample Copyright Page
© 2014
Student Name
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
(No page number on this page)
MSN Project Handbook
2015-2017
Page 23 of 24
Sample Table of Contents (Individual MSN Project TOC will vary)
(Note: Lower case Roman numerals should appear at bottom of page, beginning with “i”)
Table of Contents Page
List of Figures ...................................................................................................................... iii
List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ iv
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................v
Chapter
I. Introduction ............................................................................................................1
Current State of Knowledge..........................................................................2
History, Background, and Context of MSN Project issue or topic................6
Purpose and Significance of MSN Project topic……………………………9
Proposed MSN Project Application / Product..............................................12
II. Literature Review.................................................................................................13
Overview of Literature Review ...................................................................14
Review of Related Research
Review of Related Research ........................................................................18
Theoretical Framework of MSN Project Application / Product...................19
Conclusions .................................................................................................29
III. Development of MSN Project Application / Project .........................................30
IV. Summary………………………………………………………………………..48
References……………………………………………………………………………………60
Appendices………………………………………………………………………………..…66
A. MSN Project Application / Product ……………………………………………67
B. Evaluation Handbook……………………………………………………………..70
MSN Project Handbook
2015-2017
Page 24 of 24
Sample List of Figures
Note: Lower case Roman numerals should appear at bottom of page
List of Figures
Figure
1. Title of first figure………………………………………………………33
2. Title of second figure……………………………………………………40
3. Title of third figure …………………………………………………….. 55
Sample List of Tables
Note: Lower case Roman numerals should appear at bottom of page
List of Tables
Table
1. Title of first table ……………………………………………………………14
2. Title of second table …………………………………………………………22
Sample Acknowledgement
Note: Lower case Roman numerals should appear at bottom, center of page.
Acknowledgements
Write Acknowledgements in indented paragraphs. Double-spaced. No minimum or
maximum characters or words. Page numbers are lower case Roman numerals following the
Table of Content, (and List of Figures and/or List of Tables, if included).